DFS NBA Full Court Press: FanDuel & DraftKings Main Slate - Dec. 12th, 2021

Main Slate Breakdown for NBA DFS 12/12:

Welcome to another year of the DFS Army NBA Full Court Press! Members had a ton of success using the Full Court Press along with various articles and tools that DFS Army provides last season, so we are glad to be back with another year of the all-inclusive article. You have to start your research somewhere, and oftentimes going game by game and breaking down every matchup and its key players is the first step in our process. My name is Mike aka @MadnessDFS on Twitter, make sure to give me a follow as I’ll occasionally make updates to the advice in the article. But, you’ll mostly find me in our VIP coaching forums where I provide detailed lineup maneuvers and answer all lineup questions. With that said, let’s get it started!

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Brooklyn Nets @ Detroit Pistons

Vegas Total: 211.5

Vegas Spread: Bkn -7.5

We’ll get this slate started with the Nets, and the big news we have with them is James Harden will be out for Brooklyn in this one. Any time one of these stars sits, the other becomes a great play, so, hello Kevin Durant. With Harden off the court this season, Durant has a 35.9% usage rate and 1.66 fantasy points per minute. It will be interesting to see who gets the start for Harden here, whoever it is will see a nice boost and be a nice value option here. Bruce Brown and Patty Mills will see a boost as well and are guys that are viable in a great matchup with a bad Pistons team. LaMarcus Aldridge is the other guy from the Nets that I’ll have an interest in. The minutes haven’t been as high as we want over his past few games, but they’re committed to him as their big man. From the Pistons, they’ll be without Jerami Grant here which will open up even more minutes in this frontcourt. I would expect Trey Lyles to get the start for Grant here and becomes a really nice value option. Cade Cunningham has a 31.9% usage rate and 1.04 fantasy points per minute with Grant and Olynyk off the court this season and is a guy I like here as well, they’ll need him to step up with Grant out. Then Isaiah Stewart and Saddiq Bey should play all the minutes they can handle in the frontcourt and are priced fairly.

5-star play: Kevin Durant, Trey Lyles

4-star play: Bruce Brown, Patty Mills, LaMarcus Aldridge, Cade Cunningham, Isaiah Stewart, Saddiq Bey

Deeper Value: Trey Lyles, Cameron Thomas, Jevon Carter

GPP Sleeper: Saddiq Bey, Cameron Thomas, De’Andre Bembry

I need to give VIP Member “TTG2436” a massive shoutout for his $100k takedown earlier in the season, congrats man! Our NBA Domination Station lineup optimizer is Powered by DFS Army proprietary projections. The Domination Station will help you create 150 of the highest projected lineups in a matter of minutes. With features that allow you to Like  Love  or Dislike  a player, you can create a fully unique pool of players to generate your lineups from every day. Combine the power of the Domination Station with our VIP Only Articles and the NBA Research Station to really take your game to the next level.

Dallas Mavericks @ Oklahoma City Thunder

Vegas Total: 207.0

Vegas Spread: Dal -4.0

Starting with the Mavericks, speaking of stars being unavailable, the Mavs will be without Luka Doncic tonight which will open up all the usage and minutes on this Mavs team. Below is how the Mavericks operate with Luka off the court this season:

• Kristaps Porzingis – 28.9% usage rate; 1.35 fpm
• Jalen Brunson – 25.8% usage rate; 1.06 fpm
• Tim Hardaway Jr. – 27.8% usage rate; 1.06 fpm

These would be the three main pieces I would be interested in from the Mavericks, but you can make a case for guys like Dorian Finney-Smith,  Maxi Kleber, and Reggie Bullock as well in a nice matchup with a terrible Thunder team. From the Thunder, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander showed his volatility last time out where he went for just 21 fantasy points. I do like targeting guards against this Mavericks team however so he’s in play for tournaments at the very least. Josh Giddey is the more consistent option but doesn’t have nearly the ceiling that Gilgeous-Alexander does, they’re also far different prices. He’s a nice cash option due to his consistency. The rest of this team is hard to get to in cash games, guys like Jeremiah Robinson-Earl, Darius Bazley, and Lu Dort are fine tournament options but I wouldn’t touch them in cash games due to the volatility.

5-star play: Kristaps Porzingis, Jalen Brunson

4-star play: Tim Hardaway Jr., Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Josh Giddey

Deeper Value: Jeremiah Robinson-Earl

GPP Sleeper: Dorian Finney-Smith, Maxi Kleber, Reggie Bullock, Jeremiah Robinson-Earl, Darius Bazley, Lu Dort

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New Orleans Pelicans @ San Antonio Spurs

Vegas Total: 220.0

Vegas Spread: Sas -2.5

Starting with the Pelicans, Brandon Ingram had a nice bounce-back game last time out but I just don’t love the price tag on him. I don’t see much of a ceiling at this price tag, but I do like the matchup and we should have the value to make him work, so I won’t talk you off of him by any means. The minutes continue to be the issue for Jonas Valanciunas, when he gets 30+ he crushes, but because of this, he’ll be strictly a GPP guy for me. That being said, if you want a little risk in single entry, I have no issue with it in a nice matchup. Josh Hart finally got his price boost, he’s dropped at least 31 DraftKings points in three straight games and a guy I’ll go right back to. Then you can round this team out with Devonte’ Graham and Nickeil Alexander-Walker in tournaments. I do like the price on Graham, but he just hasn’t been in the best form… that being said, point guards against the Spurs is something I’ve been targeting for about two years now. From the Spurs, Dejounte Murray is now over $10k on DraftKings, so if you’re looking to get exposure to him I would do it on FanDuel where he’s $9.3k. He had a rough go of it last time out but lost a good amount of minutes due to a blowout. Jakob Poeltl and the rest of this starting lineup had a rough go of it last night, but I have no issue going back to him here, he’s been really solid as of late. The same can be said for Derrick White, I like this is a bounce-back spot for him and the Spurs here. Lastly, Keldon Johnson returned last night to play 21 minutes, I wouldn’t look too much into that due to the blowout, I’m assuming he’s a full go if active.

5-star play: Dejounte Murray (FanDuel)

4-star play: Brandon Ingram, Jonas Valanciunas, Josh Hart, Devonte’ Graham, Dejounte Murray (DraftKings), Jakob Poeltl, Derrick White

Deeper Value: None

GPP Sleeper: Nickeil Alexander-Walker, Keldon Johnson

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Minnesota Timberwolves @ Portland Trailblazers

Vegas Total: 221.0

Vegas Spread: Por -1.5

Starting with the Timberwolves, D’Angelo Russell comes into this one as questionable, so keep an eye on the Breaking News Feed for updates surrounding his status. Karl-Anthony Towns has been held under 40 DraftKings points in back-to-back games, but I like him in these faster-paced games and a guy I’ll go back to here. Anthony Edwards hasn’t been in the best form as of late, but again, in a game where Edwards is going to be running and gunning, I like him a good amount here. Jarred Vanderbilt has burst onto the scene over the past month or so and is going to continue to get nice minutes, he’s a nice option for tournaments. Patrick Beverley’s minutes will continue to climb as he returns from a groin injury, but he’s been a nice fantasy producer and a guy I don’t hate here especially if Russell ends up sitting. The same can be said for Malik Beasley, he’s really more of a play for me if Russell ends up sitting. From the Blazers, we’ll need some news on them here as Damian Lillard comes in as questionable, so keep an eye on the Breaking News Feed for updates but I’m going to operate under the assumption that he’s a go. Jusuf Nurkic has at least 35 DraftKings points in back-to-back games and they’ll need his size to help deal with Towns down low, he’s a nice option again here as I continue to attack the Wolves in the frontcourt. Dennis Smith Jr. and Norman Powell will continue to play all the minutes they can handle even if Lillard plays, but the price is up on them. I don’t have an issue with either of them but would see a nice boost with Dame out at their price tags.

5-star play: Anthony Edwards, Karl-Anthony Towns

4-star play: D’Angelo Russell, Patrick Beverley, Damian Lillard, Jusuf Nurkic, Norman Powell, Dennis Smith Jr.

Deeper Value: Larry Nance Jr., Robert Covington

GPP Sleeper: D’Angelo Russell, Jarred Vanderbilt, Larry Nance Jr., Nassir Little

I wanted to give a quick shoutout to VIP member “GhostfaceKillaa” on his $30k win earlier in the season. A pivot to Curry off the chalky Doncic was the key for him, congrats man!

Orlando Magic @ Los Angeles Lakers

Vegas Total: 220.5

Vegas Spread: Lal -10.5

We’ll round this slate out starting with the Magic, Cole Anthony is going to be my favorite option here again on the Magic, he’s been extremely consistent and we know the upside is there. The price has come up but he provides a nice ceiling at the price tag still. Wendell Carter Jr. and Mo Bamba are priced similarly and are certainly in play. I think you can play Carter Jr. in all formats, but Bamba is probably more of a tournament option due to the volatility he brings. The Magic will need a bunch of minutes out of them against a big team in the Lakers. Franz Wagner continues to produce, he has at least 30 DraftKings points in six straight games and is a guy I’ll go back to in this one.  Then you can round this team out with GPP guys in Terrence Ross and Gary Harris on the wing. From the Lakers, LeBron James comes in as probable, but Anthony Davis is the guy we will need some news on as he comes in as questionable. It sucks with this game being the last game on the slate, so I doubt we’ll get the news before lock. I’m going to operate under the assumption that he’s out here just due to the matchup and Sunday DFS may as well be named “rest your starters”. LeBron and Russell Westbrook would see a nice boost in this scenario. Talen Horton-Tucker would slide into a few more minutes as well and is interesting at this price tag as well as Carmelo Anthony as there will be some more shots open.

***The below is assuming Anthony Davis is OUT*** – Keep an eye on the Breaking News Feed for confirmation on his status.

5-star play: Russell Westbrook, LeBron James

4-star play: Cole Anthony, Wendell Carter Jr., Mo Bamba, Franz Wagner

Deeper Value: None

GPP Sleeper: Terrence Ross, Gary Harris, Carmelo Anthony, Talen Horton-Tucker

NBA Lock of the Day: Cheat Sheets/Coaches Notes

I’m going to keep the lock of the day for our VIP Members on this fine Sunday, so go get signed up using promo code MADNESS and get yourself 10% off!

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Editor’s Note – However, if you are more interested in simply betting the games, NBA is full of crazy action.  And, our dynamic modeling over at SharpBets adjusts in real time to help identify Vegas inaccuracies you can exploit.  Follow Ryan, Anthony, and Statsational for models and coaching advice that help you build any bankroll for any sport…